Fight for Your Life (1977)

Director:

Robert A. Endelson

Writer:

Straw Weisman

Release Date:

16 May 1980 (West Germany)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

There is no greater violence than a father's revenge for the rape of his daughter

Plot:

This video is mostly taken up by talking about vengeance rather than getting on with the job. A mean...

Plot Keywords:

Convict | Escape | Escape From Jail | Vengeance | Exploitation

Cast

Robert Judd	...	Ted Turner
Catherine Peppers	...	Mrs. Turner
Lela Small	...	Grandma Turner
Yvonne Ross	...	Corrie Turner
Reggie Rock Bythewood	...	Floyd Turner (as Reginald Bythewood)
Ramon Saunders	...	Val Turner
Queenie Endelson	...	Dog
William Sanderson	...	Jessie Lee Kane
Daniel Faraldo	...	Chino
Peter Yoshida	...	Ling
Bonnie Martin	...	Karen
David Cargill	...	Lt. Reilly
Richard A. Rubin	...	Captain Hamilton
David Dewlow	...	Joey
Nick Hardin	...	Tony (as Nick Mariano)
Robert Whelan	...	Liquor Store Owner
Lenny Chance	...	Drunk Driver
Peter Charbonneau	...	Gas Station Victim
Stephen Griffith	...	Reporter
Maxine McCrey	...	Prostitute
David Francis	...	Pimp
Billy Longo	...	Police Van Driver
William Spitz	...	Store Robber
Jane Endelson	...	Baby in Liquor Store
Claudia Angelos	...	Police Radio Voice (voice)
Steve Hasday	...	Sgt. Hasday

Directed by
Robert A. Endelson

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Straw Weisman

Produced by
Richard Endelson	....	associate producer
Robert A. Endelson	....	producer
William Mishkin	....	producer
Straw Weisman	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Jeff Slevin

Cinematography by
Lloyd Freidus

Film Editing by
Robert A. Endelson

Art Direction by
Ron Merk		(as Ronald Merk)
Ronald Merk

Costume Design by
Sara Brook

Makeup Department
Joan Puma	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Richard Endelson	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ralph Coleman	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Steve Brand	....	sound editor
Carl Kreigeskotte	....	sound recordist
Steve Morris	....	assistant sound
Aaron Nathanson	....	sound mixer

Special Effects by
Doug Hart	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Dwane Arthur	....	grip (as Dwayne Arthur)
Jim Falconer	....	gaffer
Philip Holahan	....	assistant camera (as Phil Holahan)

Editorial Department
Janet Merwin	....	assistant editor
Larry Taymor	....	associate editor

Music Department
Ron Carron	....	music arranger: strings and horns (as Ron Carran)

Other crew
Michele Berdy	....	production assistant
Bob Bovoort	....	production assistant
Ed Donohue	....	production assistant
John Doyle	....	production assistant
Peter Jonas	....	production assistant
Janet Merwin	....	script supervisor
Robert Scannell	....	production assistant
Philip Schaefer	....	production assistant

Distributors

• William Mishkin Motion Pictures (1977) (USA) (theatrical)
• Video Huset (1980) (Norway) (VHS)
• Vision On (1982) (UK) (VHS)
• Monterey Home Video (1984) (USA) (VHS)
• Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (????) (Canada) (theatrical) (as "Getting Even")
• Blue Underground (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Stomp Visual (2005) (Australia) (DVD)

Also Known As:

"Hostage" - USA (alternative title)
"Staying Alive" - USA (alternative title)

Runtime:

82 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

New Zealand:R18 | Sweden:(Banned) | UK:(Banned) | USA:R | Canada:(Banned) (Ontario) | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | Singapore:(Banned) | Norway:18 (video premiere) (1982) | Norway:(Banned) (video) (1986) | Norway:(Banned) (1977-2003) (cinema release) | Australia:R | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Chatham, Ghent, New York, USA

Trivia:

When submitted to the Swedish censors in April 1981, with a running time of 85 minutes 31 seconds, the film was banned. Eight months later a heavily edited version was submitted, but the film was denied a certificate yet again, despite having suffered 3 minutes worth of cuts, running only 82 minutes 14 seconds.

Quotes:

Jessie Lee Kane:[to Mrs Turner] I'm running the show, Deputy Dawg!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Ban the Sadist Videos! Part 2 (2006) (V)

Fight for Your Life (1977) **

A group of thugs (one white, one Asian, one Hispanic) takes over the humble home of a kindly black preacher and his family and terrorizes them. Kind of like a cross between THE DESPERATE HOURS and LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT.

This is a very politically incorrect time capsule from the '70s, with a lot of racial insults and stereotypes, some of which are humorous in spite of themselves (the forced gun-dancing scene was a favorite). But what's interesting to me is that the "holy" victimized family, once they turn the table on their attackers, proves to be quite capable with the racial slurs themselves... not that they're unjustified by that point, of course!

There is also a gruesome murder of a young boy, and the taunting of a little toddler with a gun pointed at its head. Quite unusual stuff, even for an exploitation film.